State hazelnuts to add more sweetness to Italian chocolates

Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 28

If all goes well, Himachal hazelnuts could be the main ingredient of the famous Italian chocolates, “Ferro Roche”. A pilot project to undertake commercial cultivation of the nut will be implemented at Nicahr in Kinnaur, Bhuntar in Kullu and Pangi in Chamba district.

The Horticulture Department today signed an MoU with Ferro India for the project. Barring a few pockets where there is wild plantation of hazelnut, it does not grow anywhere else in India.The MoU was signed in the presence of the Horticulture Minister and representatives of the company.

About 2,000 cultivars of hazelnut will be imported from Italy and distributed to farmers. “If the pilot project is successful, we will take up a full-fledged project under crop diversification so that our farmers can take to its commercial cultivation and get good returns,” said Vidya Stokes, Horticulture and Irrigation Minister.

The trial for commercial cultivation of hazelnuts will be undertaken and monitored by Italian experts who will visit the growing areas from time to time. “The main problem faced in cultivation of hazelnut is computability between male and female plants which we hope to overcome with the help of special pollinising varieties being supplied by Ferro India free of cost. The varieties of hazelnut found to be suited for Himachal areas include Tonda delle langhe, Tonda di Giffoni, Nocchione, Fertil de Coutard and Tonda Romana.

As of now, Ferro India meets its huge requirement of hazelnuts by importing them from abroad. Hazelnut is a rich source of protein, mineral and vitamin E and mainly used in the production of chocolates. Keeping in view the exorbitant demand of hazelnut in the chocolate industry, there is lot of scope for the propagation of desired cultivars in Himachal and thereby supplementing the income of the farmers.

The term of the MoU is five years as the hazelnut plants will come to a bearing stage only in that much time. The plants imported from Italy will be quarantined and planted at the progeny and demonstration farms of the Horticulture Department at Chail (Solan), Khadrala (Shimla) and at the Horticulture Research Station, Seobag, in Kullu before being distributed to farmers.